A Singapore Airlines ( SIA ) jet accident at Brisbane Airport in May 2022 was the subject of a recent report released by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau ( ATSB ) on March 15, 2024.
The event, which occurred on May 27, 2022, involved the loss to reduce sheets from pitot satellites on an Airbus A350 plane operated by SIA.
Pitot satellites are vital components for healthy take-off and climbing because they provide airspeed information.
Due to the risk of dirt bees forming nests inside these probes within a span of 20 minutes, these turnarounds at Brisbane Airport are frequently covered.
Funds to the user via ATSB
According to the ATSB statement, Heston MRO, SIA’s executive repair specialist in Brisbane, failed to adhere to processes by never removing the addresses in a timely manner.
The sheets were eventually taken down only two hours before the scheduled departure time, highlighting the potential risks associated with false or insufficient speed observations.
Funds to the user via ATSB
Additionally, the analysis revealed errors in the SIA journey crew’s pre-flight checks.
According to CCTV footage study of five SIA transitions at Brisbane Airport, these checks were never fully completed in accordance with SIA’s procedures, which call for them to be conducted about 30 minutes before the plane departs.
The ATSB stressed the need for comprehensive and diligent inspections, despite the flight crew’s recommendation to had observed the sensor covers during these inspections.
In response to these observations, SIA stated that it had issued letters and finds to its aircraft, highlighting the importance of following pre-flight assessment standards.
Also, the airline announced steps to extend probe covers and increase visibility, as well as working with Heston MRO to ensure stricter protocol compliance.
Additionally, the investigation revealed flaws in the last walk-arounds that Heston MRO conducted.
Inspections were completely absent on the day of the affair, despite being fully completed on some days.
The requirement for strict adherence to safety protocols is highlighted by this loss to ensure the treatment of probe covers before plane exit.
Additionally, the report raised concerns about the staff’s levels of stress, specifically the licensed aviation maintenance engineer who served as South-east Queensland’s regional manager.
The engineer expressed concern about the increased threat of fatigue-related incidents because he admitted to being fairly tired on most days.
Heston MRO responded to the analysis by reevaluating its instrument control policies and putting in place training programs to reduce staff fatigue.
Among them are the use of payroll submissions to track working hours, as well as the establishment of an independent regional director without maintenance responsibilities.
Stakeholders are eager to hear more information about the implementation of preventative measures to stop related incidents from occurring in the future as the investigation progresses. Heston MRO has reached out for opinion on these developments. SOURCE: Singapore Airlines 2022 Incident: ATSB Uncovers Serious Safety Issues BY: eTurboNews | eTN
Aviation News – eTurboNews | eTNRead More
